One of the most ridonkulously reffed games ever! Imagine, the way the Bruins play....in a heated game 7 war zone not taking ONE penalty.

The NHL has no integrity whatsoever imo. It certainly hasn't since the day Bettman was made commissioner. Perhaps I romanticize the NHL from when I was a kid but I certainly don't remember officiating being a factor like it is today. There was always human error but this is much different.

The thing is that cuts both ways the lightening were free to mug the bruins as well.
Eventually if its a level playing field dint you think that skill will rise to the surface?

No it won't. When the refs turn a blind eye on everything and refuse to do their job, the team with the lowest moral code will win. This is also why we still have sociopaths, even though you think evolution would have done away with something that is so against what's good for society. Man has been at war since the dawn of day and in warfare, just as in unrefereed hockey, the side with more and bigger assholes tends to win. Thus a village/band/tribe with a handful of sociopaths would generally defeat their squeaky clean neighbours in battle, and therefor the sociopaths remain with us till this day.

This doesn't mean we should encourage Sociopathic behaviour. I find it appalling to use a set of rules throughout the season and then abandon them come playoff time. The players/teams/managers need to know what rules apply. If it's in the book, it should apply. If you think it shouldn't apply, remove it from the book. If you say there are rules, and then reward those that break them - that's just plain wrong. Maybe they should start doing like in soccer; when a player is called for a second infraction in a game, the team is one player short for the remainder of the game.

Per wrote: If it's in the book, it should apply. If you think it shouldn't apply, remove it from the book. If you say there are rules, and then reward those that break them - that's just plain wrong. Maybe they should start doing like in soccer; when a player is called for a second infraction in a game, the team is one player short for the remainder of the game.

Yep. But I don't think you can blame the players or the GM's. As long as the refs refuse to have testicles, they'll keep getting played like naive teenage chicks.

If the refs/league were serious about the "New NHL", a team like the Bruins would spend 40 minutes/game short-handed. And when they bitch and while about the reffing, just point to the rule-book. But no, you'll get 2-3 pp's evenly distributed throughought the first half the game, and a lot of pp's in the first couple rounds, and as the game/playoffs move forward less and less gets called.

Once again Island you're right on the mark. If Buttman had any balls he would tell Jacobs to go f--- himself, clean up the game,try and get some of the credibility back,which has been lost under his watch, and bring back the best sport in the world.
If Buttman cant do it, for Christ sake, fire his sniveling little ass out of there, and hire someone who actually knows the game of hockey.

I find the hockey being played by most teams is as exciting as watching paint dry

ClamRussel wrote:
The only way they EVER move into the top pro sports leagues in the world is if they allow their skill players to shine.

Why do we want the NHL to rise in popularity?

What's in it for we long-time hard-core fans?

The majority of long-time hard-core fans have been long priced out of the market. The ambience at Rogers Arena is a joke compared to the vibe at the Pacific Coliseum back in the day. Whats w/ the empty seats in the playoffs these days? The NHL long forgot about fans, now its just customers.

okcanuck wrote:Once again Island you're right on the mark. If Buttman had any balls he would tell Jacobs to go f--- himself, clean up the game,try and get some of the credibility back,which has been lost under his watch, and bring back the best sport in the world.
If Buttman cant do it, for Christ sake, fire his sniveling little ass out of there, and hire someone who actually knows the game of hockey.

I find the hockey being played by most teams is as exciting as watching paint dry

Except Jacobs is one of the inner circle of dominant owners, ie his boss. Bettman does whatever Jacobs wants.
Totally dysfunctional league, which is a crying shame because its the best sport out there when played right.

We might as well stop moaning about the state of the game and accept the way it's being played now and recognize the type of teams we have to go through to get to Lord Stanley. It ain't gonna change. Adapt or die! Gillis.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

okcanuck wrote:Once again Island you're right on the mark. If Buttman had any balls he would tell Jacobs to go f--- himself, clean up the game,try and get some of the credibility back,which has been lost under his watch, and bring back the best sport in the world.
If Buttman cant do it, for Christ sake, fire his sniveling little ass out of there, and hire someone who actually knows the game of hockey.

I find the hockey being played by most teams is as exciting as watching paint dry

ClamRussel wrote:

okcanuck wrote:Once again Island you're right on the mark. If Buttman had any balls he would tell Jacobs to go f--- himself, clean up the game,try and get some of the credibility back,which has been lost under his watch, and bring back the best sport in the world.
If Buttman cant do it, for Christ sake, fire his sniveling little ass out of there, and hire someone who actually knows the game of hockey.

I find the hockey being played by most teams is as exciting as watching paint dry

Except Jacobs is one of the inner circle of dominant owners, ie his boss. Bettman does whatever Jacobs wants.
Totally dysfunctional league, which is a crying shame because its the best sport out there when played right.

Which is why I would rather have the refs paid by and accountable to only the IIHF. The IIHF can send the league the bill for officiating. The IIHF would then be able to review the officials' work, while working with both the league and the PA in terms of refining or evolving the rulebook. The league can submit the rulebook with recommendations for context and let the IIHF and the refs do their job. The IIHF has no stake in seeing certain markets prosper or suffer but just the betterment of the game so it would have at least the veneer of impartiality - which is not a claim anyone can make of the situation right now. It works in other pro leagues, why not the NHL?

As for supplementary discipline, they should have a PA rep, a league rep and either a mutually-acceptable independent arbitrator, or somebody from the IIHF. Decisions would be based on majority consensus. That way, nobody can bitch that the league is jobbing certain players or teams. The only downside could be a longer time between the infraction and the suspension.

RoyalDude wrote:We might as well stop moaning about the state of the game and accept the way it's being played now and recognize the type of teams we have to go through to get to Lord Stanley. It ain't gonna change. Adapt or die! Gillis.

Except the league will no doubt move the yardsticks to suit whatever market and owner has the ear of Buttman. The better option given the current circumstances is to compromise the league leadership in order for Vancouver to get a smidgen of leverage, or Aquaman parts with some more cash to buy the appropriate influence with said leadership.

Lancer wrote:
Except the league will no doubt move the yardsticks to suit whatever market and owner has the ear of Buttman. The better option given the current circumstances is to compromise the league leadership in order for Vancouver to get a smidgen of leverage, or Aquaman parts with some more cash to buy the appropriate influence with said leadership.

The only way to get ahead in this league, it seems.

Maybe our only chance Lance is to have Dan Brown write a book to expose the illuminati within the NHL.

I wonder if the Cigarette Smoking Man is behind all of this, has an office marked Unknown in the NHL Headquarters in New York, and Tony Mulder Gallagher and Scully Botchford are chasing him down.

Come on dude, lose the conspiracy theories, Vancouver in a recent study is considered the 4th Best Hockey Market in the NHL. If there is such a thing as an owner having Bettman's ear, most certainly Aquaman would be one of them.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

RoyalDude wrote:
We might as well stop moaning about the state of the game and accept the way it's being played now and recognize the type of teams we have to go through to get to Lord Stanley. It ain't gonna change.

ClamRussel wrote:
One of the most ridonkulously reffed games ever! Imagine, the way the Bruins play....in a heated game 7 war zone not taking ONE penalty.

The NHL has no integrity whatsoever imo. It certainly hasn't since the day Bettman was made commissioner. Perhaps I romanticize the NHL from when I was a kid but I certainly don't remember officiating being a factor like it is today. There was always human error but this is much different.

The thing is that cuts both ways the lightening were free to mug the bruins as well.
Eventually if its a level playing field dint you think that skill will rise to the surface?

No it won't. When the refs turn a blind eye on everything and refuse to do their job, the team with the lowest moral code will win. This is also why we still have sociopaths, even though you think evolution would have done away with something that is so against what's good for society. Man has been at war since the dawn of day and in warfare, just as in unrefereed hockey, the side with more and bigger assholes tends to win. Thus a village/band/tribe with a handful of sociopaths would generally defeat their squeaky clean neighbours in battle, and therefor the sociopaths remain with us till this day.

This doesn't mean we should encourage Sociopathic behaviour. I find it appalling to use a set of rules throughout the season and then abandon them come playoff time. The players/teams/managers need to know what rules apply. If it's in the book, it should apply. If you think it shouldn't apply, remove it from the book. If you say there are rules, and then reward those that break them - that's just plain wrong. Maybe they should start doing like in soccer; when a player is called for a second infraction in a game, the team is one player short for the remainder of the game.

This is why there is a Swedish elite league for people that believe there is some sort of fair play in a contact professional sport. Its big money and the winners are the ones willing to do what it takes and that's where the appeal is. You want artistry watch figure skating.

Regular season amd playoffs alike, the rules allow for taking the body to make a play, the bottom line is that as the hits get harder the line blurs and when everything is riding on it the integrity line blurs too. It always been that way and frankly it's why I tune in. I want to see the drama, I am inspired by players laying their heart and soul on the line. the arteests well I can get that at the opera. Skill? well tiddly winks is a skill game too but I don't give a fuck.